CH. 17 & 18 Study Guide

Question 1

What is Ozone in the Stratosphere considered?

Answer 1

Good, it protects against UV Rays

Question 2

What happens as you go up in the atmosphere?

Answer 2

Density/Pressure decreases

Question 3

What is responsible for ozone depletion?

Answer 3

CFC’s; useful as refrigerants, fire extinguishers, propellants of aerosol spray cans, cleaners for electronics, etc

Question 4

What do thermal inversions do?

Answer 4

Trap pollutants (especially in cities surrounded by mountains)

Question 5

Define: Coriolis Effect

Answer 5

North-south deflection of air currents of the convective cells resulting in curving global wind patterns called the doldrums, trade winds, and westerlies

Question 6

Convective currents

Answer 6

contribute to climatic patterns

Question 7

Hadley cells

Answer 7

convective cells near the equator
Surface air warms, rises, and expands
-Causing heavy rainfall near the equator
-Giving rise to tropical rainforests

Question 8

Polar cells

Answer 8

convective cells nearest to the poles
lift air and create precipitation at 60 degrees latitude north and south
Conditions at the poles are dry

Question 9

Ferrel cells

Answer 9

convective cells located between 30 and 60 degrees north and south latitude
- lift air and create precipitation at 60 degrees latitude north and south

Question 10

What is the function of the IPCC?

Answer 10

It looks for evidence and impact of Climate Change

Question 11

What is the composition of gases in the atmosphere?

Answer 11

Nitrogen- 78% Oxygen- 21% other gases- 11%?

Question 12

List some natural sources of air pollution.

Answer 12

Volcanic eruptions, fires, winds/dust storm

Question 13

List the sources of indoor air pollutants.

Answer 13

Sources: Insecticides, cleaning fluids, plastics, and chemically treated wood

Question 14

List the effects of indoor air pollutants.

Answer 14

Effects: health risks like premature death, allergies, sinus infections, cataracts, asthma, emphysema, and heart disease.

Question 15

List the sources and effects of Carbon Monoxide:

Answer 15

Source- incomplete combustion of fuel:
Vehicles, industrial processes, combustion of waste, and residential wood burning

Effects- risk to humans and animals because it can bind irreversibly to hemoglobin in red blood cells, preventing hemoglobin from binding with Oxygen

Question 16

List the sources and effects of Sulfur Dioxide:

Answer 16

Source- combustion of coal for electricity generation and industry

Effects- sulfur in coal reacts with O2 to form SO2. In atmosphere, SO2 may react to form sulfur trioxide (SO3) and sulfuric acid (H2SO4) which can come down to earth as acid deposition.

Question 17

List the sources and effects of Nitrogen oxide:

Answer 17

Source- combustion in vehicle engines, electrical utility, and industrial combustion

Effects- smog and acid deposition

Question 18

List the sources and effects of Lead:

Answer 18

Source- industrial metal smelting

Effects- can enter food chain, accumulate in body tissues, cause nervous system malfunction, and many other ailments

Question 19

Define: Criteria pollutants

Answer 19

Pollutants judged to pose especially great threats to human health

Question 20

Which country in the world has the worst outdoor air pollution?

Answer 20

China

Question 21

What does NAAQS stand for?

Answer 21

National Ambient Air Quality Standards

Question 22

What is responsible for poor air quality in Tehran?

Answer 22

• Traffic/Car exhaust
• Limited public transportation forces people to rely on vehicles
• Cheap gas- vehicles use 4 times rate of European vehicles

Question 23

Compare industrial smog and photochemical smog.

Answer 23

Industrial smog: gray-air smog from emissions

Photochemical smog: smog produced from reactions with light

Question 24

Which part of the country has the worst acid deposition problem and why?

Answer 24

Northeast and Midwest, because they are near heavy industries

Question 25

What causes acid rain?

Answer 25

Emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, largely through fossil fuel combustion by automobiles, electric utilities, and industrial facilities.

Question 26

What is the pH of acid rain?

Answer 26

Below 5.6

Question 27

Describe the process of ozone depletion.

Answer 27

1. UV rays breaks the chlorine from the CFC
2. Chlorine goes and grabs oxygen from ozone
3. Chlorine brings oxygen and attaches to free oxygen
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 100,000 times

Question 28

Compare the Montreal Protocol and the Kyoto Protocol.

Answer 28

Montreal protocol: (1987) 180 nations agreed to cut CFC production in half by 1998 to forestall ozone depletion
- Very successful

Kyoto protocol: (1997-drafted) agreement reducing emissions of 6 greenhouse gases by 2012 to levels of 1990

Question 29

13. Where does most of the anthropogenic greenhouse gas emission in the US come from?

Answer 29

Industrialization, and inefficient, carbon emitting vehicles.

Question 30

What Greenhouse gas has increased in concentration the most since 1750?

Answer 30

Methane

Question 31

What are the relative heat trapping capacities of various greenhouse gasses?

Answer 31

Heat trapping capacities: 
CO2=1, Methane
(CH4)=25, 
NOx=298, 
CFCs=14,800

Question 32

Describe the greenhouse effect.

Answer 32

Greenhouse gases absorb infrared radiation emitted from the surface, then re-emits it in all directions. Some of it is lost to space and some travels back down and warms the atmosphere.

Question 33

What anthropogenic factors affect climate change?

Answer 33

• Fossil fuel use
• Deforestation
• Greenhouse gas emissions

Question 34

List some market based methods for addressing climate change.

Answer 34

Permit trading programs, carbon tax/ fee and dividend, carbon offset